Why Is There a Shortage of Waiters in Spain?

According to a report presented by Randstad in July 2024, the hospitality sector employed more than 1.7 million people in Spain during 2023, accounting for 8.1% of all jobs in the country. In some regions, its importance to the regional economy is even greater, accounting for 17.9% of jobs in Catalonia and 17.1% in Andalusia. 

Two thirds of jobs in the sector are concentrated in the food and beverage segment, where a trend that has been observed in Spain for years is evident: there is a shortage of waiters. In this regard, a report prepared by market analysis company Arcano Research, summarised by Spanish newspaper El Economista, highlights that unfilled waiter vacancies have multiplied since the pandemic, causing a significant labour shortage in hospitality. Why has this situation arisen?

Short-term causes of the waiter shortage in Spain

The situation triggered by the pandemic cannot be overlooked when looking for a reason for the shortage of waiters in the country. It seems clear that the impact caused by COVID-19 has marked a turning point and changed workers’ priorities, especially in hospitality. Since 2020, a series of short-term factors have been observed that are maintaining a shortage of professionals in the sector:

• Seeking better working conditions. Working hours and the difficulty of balancing personal and professional life in hospitality are two of the main causes of the waiter shortage. After the pandemic and with the introduction of remote or hybrid work, professionals prefer to work in sectors where working conditions are not as demanding as those in hospitality. 
• Increase in tourism. Spain received a total of 24 million travellers in the first four months of 2024, 14.5% more than during the same period the previous year, according to data from the National Statistics Institute. This increase has driven up demand for waiters and, with it, the difficulty of filling these jobs.
• Housing costs. Rising rental and house purchase prices in the areas that receive the most tourism and therefore require more waiters have meant that many hospitality professionals cannot afford to live close to their workplace and prefer other job options that are more flexible or do not require in-person attendance.   

Structural causes of the waiter shortage

The hospitality sector is one of the country’s major driving forces and, due to its nature and size, suffers from certain structural weaknesses that have worsened in recent times.

Temporary employment

A report produced by Eurofirms Group shows that professional waiters have a poor perception of the temporary work generated by the sector in hotels and restaurants, as well as in beach bars during high season. Only 10 % of candidates for these jobs are satisfied with the situation.

Working hours

Working hours and rotating shifts are the least attractive aspects of waiter work, as they make it difficult to balance professional and personal life.

Lack of employee retention

Working conditions make it difficult to retain employees: only 9 % say they feel a vocation for the waiter profession, while 68.6 % imagine themselves working in another sector within 5 years.

This lack of employee retention leads to high staff turnover. Currently, 31.81 % of waiters have no previous experience. This affects how the job is perceived, as those with experience generally have a good or very good impression of the sector.

Lack of training 

Although hospitality schools are becoming increasingly popular, most students currently choose culinary studies, and there are few waiter trainees. As a result, there are difficulties filling skilled positions.

Salaries

Recent data from the National Statistics Institute indicate that the average annual salary in Spain’s hospitality sector in 2022 was €16,274 per year, 39.6% lower than the national average.  

Workplace accidents

During January and February 2024, there were a total of 6,630 workplace accidents resulting in absence from work in hospitality, according to data from the Ministry of Labour. This represents a considerable increase compared with the previous year and makes it the fifth sector with the highest incidence of accidents resulting in absence from work in the country. 

The main causes of these types of accidents among waiters are:

• slippery floors due to grease or food debris,
• poor lighting,
• use of unsuitable ladders,
• breakage of glass or ceramic items,
• handling sharp objects,
• contact with hot tableware or food,
• handling flammable products,
• carrying heavy loads,
• work overload.

According to occupational risk prevention specialists, these incidents in the workplace could be greatly minimised by maintaining exceptionally high standards of cleanliness, ensuring adequate lighting throughout the establishment, wearing ergonomic, slip-resistant footwear, or using protective gloves against burns.

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